Decision on helmets deferred by a month

Decision on helmets deferred by a month

The Hindu

`Decision was taken as public opinion is not favourable to the rule being applied to pillion riders'

BANGALORE: The Government has decided to defer by a month its stand on making it mandatory or not the wearing of helmets by two-wheeler riders and pillion riders. The Government should have enforced the mandatory rule from August 1.

Minister for Home and Law M.P. Prakash told presspersons here on Monday that the Government had issued a notification on July 13 to enforce the rule on mandatory wearing of helmets from August 1 in compliance with the directions of the Karnataka High Court.

Although the Government had concern for the safety of riders and pillion riders, it sensed that public opinion was not favourable to the rule being applied to pillion riders.

As it had no powers to overlook the court's direction, it had decided to defer the decision to enforce the rule by a month and a notification to that effect would be issued soon, he added.

Remaining non-committal on whether the status quo would remain after September 1, Mr. Prakash said the Government also needed a respite to discuss whether it could approach the court through a review petition considering the public sentiment.

Security

Mr. Prakash said that the police force needed 660 personnel to provide security to the Vidhana Soudha and its annexe, Vikasa Soudha, the Multi-storeyed Building, the High Court and Raj Bhavan which had been classified as high security zone. The Bangalore city police alone would need another 79 Hoysala units with 2,191 police personnel. Besides the department had plans to recruit 785 police personnel exclusively to fight naxal-related problems. As economy measures were not applicable to the Police Department, the State had plans to recruit 16,000 police personnel.